Right: a beggar waits for donations on an Australian street; some have claimed that "professional" beggars earn hundreds of dollars a day, a claim derided by social workers.
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Background information
(The general information on begging reprinted below has been abbreviated from the Wikipedia entry titled 'Begging'. The full text can be accessed at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begging
The information supplied on begging and the law in Australia is taken from an opinion piece published in The Conversation on January 25, 2012, and written by James Farrell, Lecturer in Law at Deakin University. The full text can be accessed at http://downingcentrecourt.com.au/blog/begging-as-a-criminal-offence-why-is-this-being-reintroduced-in-australia/
The information relevant to New South Wales is taken from the Sydney Criminal lawyers Internet site and can be accessed at http://downingcentrecourt.com.au/blog/begging-as-a-criminal-offence-why-is-this-being-reintroduced-in-australia/)
Begging is the practice of imploring others to grant a favour, often a gift of money, with little or no expectation of repayment. Beggars may be found in public places such as transport routes, urban parks, and near busy markets. Besides money, they may also ask for food, drink, cigarettes or other small items.
According to a study in the journal of the Canadian Medical Association, '(70%) [of beggars] stated that they would prefer a minimum-wage job, typically citing a desire for a "steady income" or "getting off the street". However, many felt they could not handle conventional jobs because of mental illness, physical disability or lack of skills.'
History
Beggars have existed in human society since before the dawn of recorded history. Begging has happened in most societies around the world, though its prevalence and exact form vary.
Greece
Ancient Greeks distinguished between the ptochos , the "passive poor" or "beggars" and the penes, the "active poor", with the latter being accorded a higher social status. The New Testament contains several references to Jesus' status as the saviour of the ptochos, usually translated as "the poor", considered the most wretched portion of society.
Britain
The British Poor Laws, dating from the Renaissance, placed a variety of restrictions on begging. At various times, only the disabled were allowed to beg. These Poor Laws developed into the workhouse system, a series of parish-operated institutions where those unable to obtain other employment were forced to work in exchange for a small amount of food.
The welfare state of the 20th century greatly reduced the number of beggars by directly providing for the basic necessities of the poor from state funds.
India
Begging is an ancient phenomenon in India. In medieval and earlier times begging was considered to be an acceptable occupation which was embraced within the traditional social structure. This system of begging and alms-giving to mendicants and the poor is still widely practised by India's over 400,000 beggars in 2015.
In contemporary India, beggars are often stigmatised as undeserving. People often believe that beggars are not destitute and instead call them professional beggars. There is a wide perception of begging scams. This view is refuted by grass root research organisations such as Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan, which claim that beggars and other homeless are overwhelmingly destitute and vulnerable. Their studies indicate that 99 percent men and 97 percent women resort to beggary due to abject poverty, distress migration from rural villages and the unavailability of employment.
Begging and the law in Australia
Begging is a criminal offence in Victoria under s 49A of the Summary Offences Act and is also prohibited by various local laws made by local councils under the Local Government Act. Section 49A states that a 'person must not beg or gather alms' or 'cause, procure or encourage a child to beg or gather alms' with a penalty of up to 12 months imprisonment. The range of penalties imposed range from fines, community-based orders through to imprisonment.
Similar provisions exist in Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory.
Victoria Police statistics show that in 2008/09, 242 people were processed by the police for the alleged offence of begging. 24 of these people were arrested, one was cautioned and 212 were issued with summons.
This was an increase from 2007/2008 in which 188 people were processed, with 27 arrested and 153 issued summonses. More recent data about outcomes is not yet available, but the total number of persons processed in 2009/10 increased to 298, and then on initial figures, this has reduced to 206 in 2010/11.
Though begging is not illegal in New South Wales there are a number of laws under which police can take action against those who live on the streets and beg.
New South Wales's 'drunk and disorderly' rules, introduced in 2011, empower police to tell a person to 'move on' if their conduct is:
1. likely to cause injury to any other person;
2. likely to cause damage to property;
3. likely to give rise to a risk in public safety, or is disorderly.